A Quote for Today: January

"If you do not see great riches in your imagination,
you will never see them in your bank balance".
~Napoleon Hill

A Quote for Today: December

In dwelling, live close to the ground.
In thinking, keep to the simple.
In conflict, be fair and generous.
In governing, don't try to control.
In work, do what you enjoy.
In family life, be completely present.
~ Lao Tzu

A Quote for Today: November

A friend and co-worker sent me an email today - a slide show of a Chinese Proverb. I like what it said very much. Then at the end of this slide show one slide states that this Chinese Proverb originated in the Netherlands. I found that to be perplexing -- odd. Regardless of where if is really from I genuinely like what the message said. So I share it here:

"With money you can buy a house but not a home.
With money you can buy a clock but not time.
With money you can buy a bed but not sleep.
With money you can buy a book but not knowledge.
With money you can buy a doctor but not good health.
With money you can buy a position but not respect.
With money you can buy blood but not life.
With money you sex but not love."

A Quote for Today: October Poem "A Taste of Mindfulness"

A Taste of Mindfulness

“Have you ever had the experience of stopping so completely,
of being in your body so completely,
of being in your life so completely,
that what you knew and what you didn’t know,
that what had been and what was yet to come,
and the way things are right now,
no longer held even the slightest hint of anxiety or discord,
a moment of complete presence beyond striving,
beyond mere acceptance,
beyond the desire to escape or fix anything or plunge ahead,
a moment of pure being,
no longer in time,
a moment of pure seeing,
pure feeling,
a moment in which life simply is,
and that is-ness grabs you by all your senses,
all your memories, by your very genes,
by your loves,
and welcomes you home,
that is a taste of mindfulness.”

Jon Kabet-zin

A Quote for Today: September

Today I share some of my favorite Oprah Winfrey quotes. Others may have said them too because some of these I have heard similar versions before, but Oprah is quoted as saying these and I resonate with them:

"I believe the every single event in life happens in a opportunity to choose love or fear".

"Be thankful for what you have; you'll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don't have, you will never, ever have enough".

"My philosophy is that not only are you responsible for your life, but doing the best at this moment puts you in the best place for the next moment".

A Quote for Today: July

This is written in the Hebrew Talmud...

"Be very careful if you make a woman cry, because God counts her tears. The woman came out of a man's rib. Not from his feet to be walked on. Not from his head to be superior, but from the side to be equal. Under the arm to be protected, and next to the heart to be loved."

Today I "Pray to God and Row to Shore"

Some days only appear to be bigger challenges than they really are.

Fact: Today I woke up with a little anxiety knocking at my door. I have $30.26 in my checking account and I do not have a job lined up. What am I going to do about that?

There are others facts about today that I am acknowledging and am grateful for: Today I have a roof over my head, food in the cupboards, PG and E is paid, my children and I are healthy and I am resourceful. And if I really think about it, I am even grateful that I have that $30.26!

But I still need to do something about it! So I choose acknowledge the anxiety, and tell it to go away. It does not serve a purpose today to have any anxiety.

I walked in my first half marathon (13.5 miles) in Sand Diego June 2007 with and organization called Team in Training. I was walking down the highway about 4 miles from the finish line when I looked up to read a huge banner hanging on an overpass. It read: "Obstacles are what you see when you take your eyes off the goal". Wow! It struck me! Could life really be that simple? Do I focus my attention to the hot air, tired feet, the chitter-chatter in my head that wants to doubt, those around me who are struggling or those who are passing me? Or do I remember I have been trained by coaches, I have plenty of water, electrolytes and some carbs with me, I am in a rhythm at a comfortable pace, doing great and with every step I am closer to my goal? It was amazing to experience the two perspectives in an instant. It was a learning moment about perception and attitude. Obstacles are there if I look at them, pay attention to them, focus on them. And they really don't appear to be so important or intrusive if I focus on the goal and the good things around it.

Today all is well – really! I will “Pray to God and row to shore”. This means, I will go through my household belongings and have a garage sale to generate some cash. Meanwhile, I will go look for a job!